Article share tools

Wolverhampton councillor receives OBE for political service and services to local government

A Wolverhampton councillor has collected an OBE from Prince Charles during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Councillor Sandra Samuels, the City of Wolverhampton Council's cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, was recognised for political service and services to local government in the Queen's New Year's Honours List.

Ms Samuels was first elected to the council as Labour councillor for Park ward in 2004 and has also been a community activist for around 30 years, and set up the Heritage Centre, an African Caribbean community hub in Whitmore Reans.

Article share tools

'Prison suicide mix-up': Latest

Earlier we told you how an MP told the Commons a family had received a phone call to say their relative, his constituent, had died in HMP Birmingham - only for the erroneous info to be retracted 30 minutes later.

Article share tools

Special report: Farmer on why he wants to leave the EU

Patrick Burns

Political editor, Midlands

With all of Cannock Chase stretching out across the horizon, Lower Drayton Farm in Staffordshire is what's known in the trade as a mixed farm. But there's nothing mixed about farmer Ray Bower's views on the European Union: he says there's nothing to fear from Brexit.

Mr Bower (pictured) says farming alone is no longer enough to pay the bills and has joined the growing number who are convinced it's a case of diversify or bust.

Even those EU farm payments worth up to £3bn a year to British agriculture are seen here as a diminishing asset.

BBC

Yesterday, though, in our first special report on this issue, a Warwickshire farmer, Adam Quinney, told the BBC the EU did not deserve the blame for so-called "red tape" which would still be necessary even if Britain voted to leave.

Article share tools

Man who left his dog in pain from tumours is banned from keeping animals for three years

A Birmingham man who left his dog with tumours large enough to drag along the floor as he walked has been given community service and banned from keeping animals for three years, the RSPCA says.

According to the charity, Chico, a 15-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier, had to be put down because he was in so much pain.

At Birmingham Magistrates Court, Martin Travers, of Ledbury Close, Ladywood, admitted three offences of causing unnecessary suffering to the dog - which had tumours on his testicles, shoulder and chest.

As well as the three-year disqualification order, magistrates yesterday handed Travers a 12-month community order, a four-week curfew and ordered him to pay costs of £100 and a £60 victim surcharge.

Article share tools

Priorities for Burton Albion after Championship promotion

Dan Pallett

BBC Midlands Today Sport

A bigger away end to accommodate Aston Villa, Birmingham City and Wolves fans, and a larger press box - those are the immediate priorities for Burton Albion chairman Ben Robinson after his club secured promotion to the Championship.

Article share tools

Family 'mistakenly told son had killed himself at HMP Birmingham'

A family wrongly informed their son had killed himself in prison has received an apology from the Government.

MPs heard the HMP Birmingham inmate's relatives received a call earlier this month in which they were told he had taken his own life.

But 30 minutes later they were informed he was still alive, Labour's Stephen Doughty told the Commons.

The Cardiff South and Penarth MP called for an investigation into the error, also noting his constituent had endured a "lengthy bureaucratic process" in efforts to transfer him to a secure mental health unit.

Prisons Minister Andrew Selous apologised to the family concerned and agreed to discuss the inmate's case further.

Article share tools

Suspected sheep rustlers rounded up in Birmingham - ewe herd it here first

Three suspected sheep rustlers have been rounded up in Birmingham after some woolly passengers in a people carrier were spotted by police.

The vehicle carrying the lambs - spotted on Hob Moor Road, Yardley, in the early hours of today - tried to get away, but, according to police, "rammed" into a parked car in Rosedale Road where men leapt out and fled.

West Midlands Police

Three men, aged 22, 27 and 28, are currently in police custody on suspicion of theft.

The lambs were recovered unhurt and have been temporarily re-homed on a farm in Sheldon while officers make inquiries with regional farmers.

Plans for controversial boundary changes to wards in Birmingham have been thrown out - and a new map drawn up - after 2,000 people gave feedback on the plans.

The Local Government Boundary Commission has published revised proposals - which, among other things, keep Moseley Village in Moseley, Edgbaston cricket ground in Edgbaston ward, and Acocks Green in Acocks Green.

Google

There will also still be a Hall Green ward containing Hall Green railway station and Hall Green School. Part of the Hall Green community had been included in a Tyseley ward under the previous proposals.

A six-week public consultation on the changes begins today and will end on 20 June 2016.